Have taken my four little steroid tablets this morning, four more tonight and tomorrow morning then I’m off. Anymore had any funny side effects from these things (Dexamethasone) or am I just suffering from hot sweats, and anxiety about tomorrow?? Feel I bit spaced out - am I normal?? OH says “stupid question”.
Cheers Anne
Hi Anne
I too start my first dose of chemo tomorrow - TAC. I have heard different stories about how the Taxotere will make me feel and keeping an open mind as we are all different.
I took my little pills today and feel ok - I think. So hyped up about the chemo that I hardly know what feels normal any more. I had heard they make you a bit strange and sleeping tonight may be a challenge (nothing new there haven’t slept properly since diagnosis). Head is a bit sore but I think it is the thundery weather.
Will keep you posted. Good Luck
MuddyXX
For muddy
How you doing?? I have been much better on this than my last lot, not so sicky, but today’s the day without the steroids, so all could change! My onc has put me on normal antibiotics for two weeks plus two weeks worth of one for the mouth - I rattle, aswell as injecting myself for ten days with granocyte, I feel like a junkie. Still if it keeps me at home, away from the hospital I’m happy.
Must say, as I typing this am getting tingling palms - weird!
Hope you ok too.
Cheers Anne x
Something else to worry about?? Whats Peripheral Neuropathy, or do I not want to know??
Actually it’s something normally associated with diabetics and alcoholics!!! However, some chemo treatment can cause it too - basically numbness in your hands/feet. If you do a Google on it there’s more info but unless you’re affected I wouldn’t bother unless you’re short of something to worry about and I doubt that somehow.
D
Hi
Feeling a bit yuk to say the least. Feels like a flu or really bad morning sickness that won’t go. Having said that not actually sick - finish the anti sickness tablets tonight so that may be when the fun kicks in - haven’t slept properly due to the steroids so generally I am a happy camper- that said - one down 5 to go.
I have no more meds after tomorrow until my next chemo due - hope my body can cope - one day at a time I think is the secret at the moment.
The numbness hands and feet were mentioned but lets face it there are so many side effects we could write a book !!
Hang in there
MuddyXX
Hiya
Amazing how we all get different meds. Now starting to get achey, and hopefully might sleep some tonight. Hope you do too. Keep in touch.
Anne
Hi
Slept a little better last night - no steroids so at least I could lie nice and still and not have the twitches!!!
Feeling yukky but eating little and often. Low energy though!!!
How you all doing?
Hang in there
MuddyXX
Hi Anne and Muddy,
Im watching this thread carefully as I start my Taxotere on Wednesday! Already had 3 FEC which I didnt think was too bad although I was a lot worse with the 3rd.
Hope you both start to feel better soon.
Pauline
Hi Pauline
I know there are so many treatments out there it can be so confusing. I went straight to TAC and had the first on Friday. I was filled with dread and here I am on Monday and still standing!! Feel nausea but have just fininshed my tea of spuds and fish and don’t actually feel too bad. I do not doubt for one second that that there will be much, much worse days but I think one step at a time. Have taken a few short walks for some fresh air just around the house today and please I’ll get a little sleep tonight. Will keep you posted. But one down 5 to go!!
Good luck for Wednesday.
MuddyXX
Hi Anne and Muddy,
I’m stuck in bed with my laptop-had my 2nd TAX last thurs (after 3 FEC), I’m just generally yacky for about a week after-can’t really describe it!!! My tongue feels 3 times too big for my mouth ( and that’s big!!) and my legs feel very sorry for themselves. I just want to say that I can’t believe how fast my treatments gone so far-got Radiotherapy and Tamoxifen to look forward to (hooray) but I’m not worrying about that-the chemo was the bit I was dreading! Keep positive ladies, off to have some Dicloflex p-killers for my legs-what a treat!! Hopefully I’ll sleep once I’ve had them though
Take care
Tracy x
Hi all
Day 5 for me, and trying to manage with paracetamol for the aches. Definitely not so sicky on this chemo, but more fuzzy and achey. Energy levels are pretty zero today, but hopefully will start to get better.
Pollym - all the best for tomorrow - thinking of you. (Roll on Christmas!!)
Cheers
Anne
Hi all
Feeling a bit better today - managed to eat and went a bit of a short walk( 2 minutes). Still not sleeping too well. Have sore ears which seems a bit mad but apart from that not too yuk…
Hang in there fellow chemoers
MuddyXX
hi there,
yes, first Taxotere tomorrow, cant wait (not). Its been really good hearing how you’re going on it, its really put my mind at rest, okay you have symptoms but youre still posting and sound okay!
Took my 16mg of steroids today and realised that the slightly sick, warm, headachey feeling I get after chemo is probably the steroids!! However, Im still taking them as they might be masking something worse!
Let you know how I go and thanks for the support.
Pauline x
Hiya,
Ive had 2 taxotere so far, my 3rd tomorrow.
My 1st was a nightmare, I had every side effect going apart from nausea (indigestion, joint aches & pains, muscle/nerve twinges, swollen tongue, Painful finger nails & hyper sensitive/painful nerve ending in finger tips, severe diorrhea)
I ended up in hospital for 5 days neutrapenic, high temperature & fever. The taxotere had totally wiped out my blood count, I had picked up some form of infection I couldnt fight off so ended up on intravenus antibiotics and fluids.
Oncologist said the dosage I had been given was too strong for me so the 2nd treatment was reduced it by 25% which was amazing. Only side effect I have had this time round was diorrhea (albeit it quite severe & painful).
Im hoping this 3rd one is going to be quite good to me too!
Im ok until the day after I finish my steroids, thats when the side effects seem to kick in for me.
Good luck with yours, I hope you are one of te lucky ones that have very few effects.
Julie x
To Pollym
Hope today went OK. It can all sound so scary sometimes on here - but hang in there - everyone reacts differently and just remember that this is the creme de la creme in killing those little b…gg…s. off.
Cheers Anne
Hello everybody
I am new to this site and felt such relief to find you all.
I have had 3x FEC which went well apart from slight sickness and some headache. I am due to start my 1st TAX tomorrow and I have to admit that the postive mental attitude I had for the FEC is going out the window. I think it had something to do with the fact that my onc told me that this was going to be much tougher!! Now I am I am trying to convince myself that I will sail through this lot.
It has been helpful to read all your experiences, especially the good ones, as it has given me some strength to face tomorrow.
Look forward to chatting to you all on those sleepless nights
moogie
x
Hi girls
Been reading your posts - been away for a few days by the sea before my next Tax - my last chemo!!!
It has been harder than FEC, which was not too bad at all for me.
With my firstTax my mouth was awful - thrush, ulcers, swollen tongue which I kept biting - so the second time I started with the meds my onc gave me straght away and used mouth wash/salt water after eating anything and it was fine - just very dry - mind you I did have my second Tax reduced by 10%. The physical pain was very strange and I get terrible twitchy legs at night, and numb tips of fingers and toes. But by far the most debilitating is the tiredness - it completely wipes me out and I get dizzy spells if I do anything too quickly, so mostly go anywhere at a snails pace - i get there eventaully!
My first lot of steroids sent me totally hyper - non stop talking, little or no sleep and racing heart - but this has lessened with each lot. I’ve had 2 doses in readiness for tomorrow, don’t feel tired but not in any way whizzy.
Take care xx
hello everybody,
Well had first Tax yesterday after 3 FEC. Had absolutely no symptoms so far, no actual sickness or nausea as with FEC and feel very normal today. However, I came home from hospital and went to sleep for one and a half hours after taking my second 8mg of steroids! Didnt sleep too badly last night either, asleep by 11, awake between 3 and about 4.30 and then back to sleep till 7! This is good sleep for me as Im a light sleeper anyway and struggled straight after FEC. So, I think tiredness could an issue with Tax for me!
So, early days, even my oncologist has told me that there could be a sting in the tail by tomorrow/weekend when I could feel fluey/very fluey and ill. So, Im waiting around for this and am going to make the best of today, get out for a nice coffee and cake with a friend!
Moogie, good luck today, sure we’ll all be thinking of you
Anita, cant wait for my last Tax only 2 to go!
Anne, Muddy, Tracy, Julie, Dahlia - thanks for your experience and support!
Hope you are still feeling not too bad today.
I think this is a GREAT thread for all us Taxotere sufferers! Lets keep the updates coming if we’re up to it! I think this is especially important as there is so much fear and anticipation with this chemo and if we know that some people are doing okay it will make us all feel a lot better. I know that it helped me enormously yesterday.
Take care
Love Pauline x
Hi all
Daily update!! Feeling a bit yuk - still a good appetite. Had a touch of tummy upset this morning but have just returned from getting my nails done and feeling not so bad. I had the first Taxotere last Friday so from tomorrow I will be taking things a bit easier in case my immunity drops. Taking my oldest boy to get uniform for new school in September so trying to keep things as normal as possible.
Still not sleeping well but so far touch wood , mouth is clear (am cleaning with baby toothbrush) and coping not too bad - now have folks saying it will be worse with second but taking it one day at a time and trying to stay positive.
I sometimes find a little hour of siesta time can help - keep the energy up and stops me becoming an axe wielding monster mum!
Hang in there!
Good luck out there!!
MuddyXX